


Right From The Start

by Anonymous_Writer2311



Series: Mad Archer! [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F, Mad Archer, Slow Burn, Swan Queen - Freeform, no magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-07-06 21:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous_Writer2311/pseuds/Anonymous_Writer2311
Summary: AU: When Killian Jones and his 10-year-old daughter Alice move to Storybrooke lonely 9-year-old Robin finally makes a friend. Their friendship is one that could last a lifetime, but what will happen a few years down the line when feelings start to arise. Slow burn, no magic, multiple time jumps, and cuteness.





	1. Welcome to Storybrooke

**Author's Note:**

> 1st time jump won't be for another 10-ish chapters. So enjoy young mad archer

The move to Storybrooke Maine had been just what Killian Jones and his young daughter Alice needed. After a messy divorce and months of custody battles, Killian was just happy to be starting over. The job offer had come at a perfect time, the Sheriff’s Department was in need of a Deputy, and while it wasn’t his first choice, he knew that he had to do whatever it took to take care of his little starfish.

 

Alice was the best thing to ever happen in his loveless marriage. Killian had been planning to file for divorce when his ex-wife told him she was pregnant. He didn’t want his little girl to have the same childhood that he was plagued with weekends and holidays split between two separate miserable households. But staying with Eloise had been the worst option. She was mean and selfish, she didn’t show her daughter any love and instead became jealous of the blonde child. It was a toxic environment, not fit for any child or sane person. So Killian got away as soon as he managed to break free of her possessive clutches and took his daughter with him.

 

The move had been an easy one, deciding that it was best for them to start completely new. They took nothing apart from a few of Alice’s toys and some clothes. Killian found a small apartment, it wasn’t ideal but it would make do until something better came along. Alice was buzzing with excitement from the moment they set off until they both passed out on the sofa surrounded by boxes of furniture that still needed to be built. She had always been a daddy's girl, so when she was told that they were moving away together, she couldn’t have been happier.

 

Storybrooke wasn’t what Alice or Killian had expected, it was small and stuck in the wrong side of the eighties, it was a definite change from the big city life that they had both become accustomed to. But they embraced it, this was what they needed and after they had finished decorating the small apartment it was time to explore.

 

Killian wasn’t due to start his new job at the Sheriff’s station for a few days, but he wanted to call in and get acquainted with the Sheriff. He had talked with Sheriff Emma Swan a number of times on the phone and was looking forward to finally being able to put a face to the voice.

 

“Alright starfish, I just need to pop into my new work and then we can start exploring. Is that okay?” Killian looked up at the little girl on his shoulders, her light blonde hair covering most of her face.

 

“Then ice cream?” Alice fake pouted, knowing exactly how to sweet talk her Daddy into just about anything.

 

“Then we’ll have all the ice cream we can eat!” He cheered while lifting her off his shoulders, holding her up in the air with ease. Alice’s laughter filled the small streets as her Daddy ran around, she closed her eyes pretending that she was flying through the sky with the birds. “And we’ve landed Princess Alice.” Gently the giggling blonde was placed on the ground, as her Dad bowed in front of her.

 

“Why thank you, kind knight.” Alice put on her best princess voice, as she clumsily curtsied. “You will be generously repaid with as much chocolate chip ice cream you can eat.” She announced as Killian broke into a small gig. He could imagine how ridiculous he must have looked to his new neighbors, but when Alice’s laugh reached his ears, he couldn’t care less.

 

“After you m’lady.” Killian stepped aside while holding the large door to the station open, watching lovingly as Alice skipped in without a care in the world.

 

“Is this where you are going to be working Papa?” The blonde child asked in amazement as they walked towards the Sheriff’s office. She had been to his last job at the docks multiple times and had gained quite a few honorary uncles, but there was something about the station that fascinated the small blonde. Her curiosity only grew when the soft sounds of children’s laughter flowed from the main office.

 

“Robin stop! That’s mine!” A small brunette girl sprinted out of the office, with a small blonde boy chasing after her hastily. “I’m gonna tell Aunt Gina! She bought me that last week!” He whined as the little girl jumped into one of the cells and slammed the door shut so he couldn’t get to her.

 

“Neal can you let her out.” Alice watched as a set of keys flew out to the office door, landing at the boy's feet. “And Robin if I have to come out there-”

 

“You might wanna!” Robin quickly interrupted as she smiled and shot a small wave in Alice’s direction once she finally noticed them. “You’ve got guests!” She shouted with glee as Neal unlocked the cell door before he pounced on her trying to pry the action man from her hands.

 

“What are you…” Emma froze as soon as her eyes landed on the smiling pair. Emma Swan definitely wasn’t what Killian had imagined, he thought for sure that he’d be dealing with a sour-faced old bag. But the blonde in front of him could only be described as the kind of girl you could take home to your parents, but could also beat the crap out of you easily. “You must be my new Deputy.” She smiled welcomingly as she reached her hand out to the man, who took it firmly.

 

“Nice to put a face to the name,” Killian smiled back, completely intoxicated by the blonde woman until his eyes fell on her wedding ring and he was brought back to reality. “Umm, this is my daughter Alice.” He coughed as Alice waved at the tall blonde.

 

“Hey, kid.” Emma smiled as she crouched down to Alice’s level. “Think you can do me a favor?” She whispered at the suddenly shy girl, who nodded quickly in response. “Keep them two brats in line while I talk to your Dad for a bit?” She smirked as she nodded over at the two bickering kids who were sat at the spare desk, that would soon belong to Killian.

 

“Aye, aye!” Alice saluted, before skipping away from the pair determined to sort the two younger kids out.

 

“They should be fine, wanna come into my office for a chat and some coffee?” The blonde asked as she observed how Killian protectively watch Alice approach the other kids.

 

“Sounds like a plan, after you.” He smiled and gestured for her to lead the way.

 

“Hey, dumb and dumber!” Emma shouted, making Robin and Neal stop bickering immediately and turn their attention her way. “I need to talk to my new Deputy, Alice is in charge.” She smirked at the scowling children before disappearing into the office with Killian.

 

“Who’s Alice?” Neal asked his cousin, who used his confusion to her advantage and hid the action man behind her back.

 

“I am.” A small voice made the blonde boy almost jump out of his skin. A large smirked could be seen plastered on Robin’s face as Alice returned her gesture from early and shot her a small wave. “Alice Jones, it’s nice to meet you.” Alice held out her hand to the boy whose heart was still racing.

 

“I’m Robin.” The brunette quickly jumped in and leaned over her cousin to take the blonde's hand. “And his idiot is my cousin Neal.” She nudged him violently, knocking him off the chair with glee.

 

“Are you okay?” The blonde quickly asked Neal, ignoring the eye rolls that Robin sent both of their ways.

 

“I am, but she won’t be,” Neal smirked as he pounced on the laughing brunette, sending both them and the chair flying backward, smashing into the ground with a loud bang. The two cousins quickly began to fight, which was a seemingly normal sight for the residents of Storybrooke.

 

“Stop it!” Alice demanded as Robin landed one last punch to Neal’s gut.

 

“As you wish your highness.” Robin sarcastically bowed, before helping her cousin up off the ground. “Since you’re in charge, what are we allowed to do then?” She added trying and failing to intimidate the smaller child.

 

“What were you playing before I came in? With the big black bars?” The blonde girl asked, thinking back to the fun it looked like they were having when she walked in.

 

“Bank robbers!” Neal clapped his hands together excitedly as he reached into his pocket to pull out a set of keys. “And we still have Emma’s keys!”

 

“Nice!” Robin high fived the slightly taller boy, before turning her attention to Alice. “So, are you a robber or a copper?” She smirked as Alice chewed on her lip in thought.

 

“I always play pirates with my Papa, so I guess that makes me a robber. What about you?” Alice tries her best to smirk back, but her mouth ended up turning into a weird crooked smile instead.

 

“Let’s steal those jewels!” She suddenly reached out and grabbed Alice’s hand, before pulling the action man out of her back pocket. “We’ve already got a head start, now run!” She shouted before they took off, Neal hot on their tails claiming that Robin was cheating.

 

Alice wasn’t too sure about Robin at first. She had a boldness to her that was off-putting, but now she was intrigued by it. The game was forgotten quite quickly when Neal surrendered and opted to play on the computer instead. But that didn’t stop the two girls. Alice convinced Robin to play princesses with her, and while she objected at first, the brunette soon came around and found herself enjoying the girl-ish game. Together they built their imaginary castle in one of the cells and fought the mystical creatures who dared to try and storm their castle.

 

“Back you beast!” Robin shouted fiercely as she swung her invincible sword, aiming for the creatures head and doing a small victory dance when he disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.

 

“Robin watch out, Goblin’s are coming for us!” Alice shouted as the blue creatures surrounded them, slowly they backed up towards each other stopping when their backs touched. “What are we going to do? We need a prince to rescue us.” The blonde mumbled as she laced her hand with Robin’s.

 

“No, you’ll never need a prince when you’ve got me!” The brunette smirked as she squeezed Alice’s hand. “Wish me luck.” She muttered before letting out a war cry and charging at the gross beasts, slaying them with ease.

 

“You did it!” Alice cheered as she pulled Robin in for a near bone-crushing hug. “Robin, the most fearsome princess in all the lands!” She announced in her princess' voice as their subjects gathered around in celebration.

 

“Princess? That’s a new one kid, and here I thought you’d grow up to be a bank robber.” The mocking sound of Emma’s voice broke through the imaginary world forcing it to come crumbling down around them.

 

“A bank robbing princess is on the table.” Robin stuck her tongue out at her Aunt before pulling out of Alice’s embrace, slightly embarrassed to have been caught playing princesses.

 

“Chip of the old block, I’ll make a Sheriff out of you yet.” Emma pulled a silly face at her niece before they broke into a gross face contest.

 

“Don’t for a second think that you are pushing our niece into a job like this.” The regal voice cut through the air, prompting the Sheriff to stand up straight and wipe the ridiculous smile off her face. “I mean no offense, of course, dear.” She smiled at the two adults, while Alice and Robin got back to their game.

 

“I married her for her backhanded compliments.” The Sheriff winked before leaning over to peck the brunette on the cheek.

 

“Regina Mills, you must be our newest resident.” Regina extended her hand to Killian, who took it gently, a surprised smirk easily visible on his face.

 

“Killian Jones. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He spoke respectively. It never would have guessed that they were a couple if he had passed them on the street, but now that he’s seen them together, it was obvious that they were a good match.

 

“And here is my lovely sister.” The brunette smirked as a tall redhead strutted into the office. Zelena was slightly taken aback as she entered the open office, she had expected to be greeted by the usual arguments going on between Robin and Neal, but instead, she heard the joyful sound of her daughter’s laughter.

 

Slowly Zelena peeled her eyes away from her smiling child and noticed the unfamiliar gentleman smiling softly in her direction. “Oh, hello. Zelena Locksley and I see you’ve already met my little monkey.” She smiled brightly as she quickly shook his hand.

 

“Killian Jones. It seems our two girls have been getting along like a house on fire.” Killian nodded over to the two oblivious children, who were battling invisible creatures in the cells once again.

 

“My Robin, getting along with another girl? Now that is a massive surprise.” The redhead gasped as she watched how easily they seemed to get along together.

 

“They’ve even been playing princesses,” Emma whispered playfully to her sister in law, shocking the Mills sister’s to the core as they continued to watch the children play.

 

“As fun as this has been, I, unfortunately, have to get going, you ready starfish?” Killian called over to his daughter, wiping the contagious smile off of her face and replacing it with a deeply seeded scowl.

 

“Can’t I stay for a little longer Papa?” Alice pouted, trying to work her magic on her Dad, who shook his head not letting her get the better of him this time.

 

“Can she please stay Mommy? We’ve been having so much fun, she’s way better than Neal.” Robin jumped in, forcing an amused smile to play on her Mother’s lips as the small boy let out a grunt of annoyance.

 

“Hey!” Neal shouted forcefully before throwing his crumbled up chips packet at her head.

 

“Oops, forgot he was there.” She smiled apologetically at her cousin, before turning her attention back to her Mother, hoping to butter her up until she agreed to let her play with Alice for a little while longer.

 

“You’ll have to play with your new friend another time sweetheart. Your Daddy is making burgers, and I promised him that we’d be home on time.” Zelena smiled sadly, completely taken aback by her daughter’s unusual behavior. She had never been the best at making friends, especially not ones that were girls, so this was definitely uncharted territory.

 

“Unfair! I never get to play with anyone apart from Neal!” Robin stomped her foot, opting for the temper tantrum approach, to see if that would have a better outcome.

 

“Why don’t I get her Dad’s number and then maybe we can set up a little play date?” The redhead suggested while glancing over at the scruffy looking man for confirmation.

 

“You up for that starfish,” Killian spoke up, taking great pleasure in being able to put a smile back on his daughter’s face.

 

“Yes! We need to finish our game!” Alice cheered before quickly embracing the brunette. It had been hard to leave behind her friends when they had to move, but she was happy because now she had Robin to be her friend, and the brunette was like no one she had ever met before.

 

“Wait until you see my Dad’s bow!” Robin smiled brightly, no sign of her signature smirk in sight. The small brunette was actually happy for a change, she finally had a friend that was hers and not a family member. The girls quickly got to playing again, trying to squeeze as much time out of their parents are they could.

 

“I have a feeling that we’re all going to be seeing a lot more of each other.” Emma patted her new Deputy on the shoulder playfully as the group watched the pair play.

 

“Guess my Alice isn’t the only one that made a new friend today.” Killian chuckled. He hadn’t expected his first friends in town to be three women, but it wasn’t complaining, knowing that he’d most certainly appreciate their advice and help in the future. He had a feeling that Alice and Robin were going to be in each other's lives for a very long time and he couldn’t be happier.

 

“Welcome to Storybrooke,” Zelena smiled brightly at the man, relieved to see her daughter happy at last.


	2. A Princess and Her Knight

It had been almost a week since Alice moved to town, and Robin had been counting down the days until she saw her new friend again. Life for the small brunette had been a lonely one so far. No one her age understood her, or her tendency towards more boyish activities, so most of Robin’s time was spent with her cousin Neal or on her own. Until now that is. She and Alice had been drawn to each other straight away, Alice didn’t seem to care that Robin wanted to be a knight over a princess, or that she aspired to be a bank robber. Alice liked Robin for who she was, and she wouldn’t dare change her.

 

“Alice!” Robin exclaimed as soon as the sound of soft knocking reached her ears. She has been on high alert all morning, jumping at the slightest noise from outside. The small brunette tumbled over a few toys as she rushed towards the door, running smack into her Mother in the process and mumbling a quick apology in return.

 

“Robin!” The small blonde screamed as their eyes met and the two ran into each other's arms. A week had been too long, and they both missed the other dearly. “I’ve missed you so much!” She muttered into Robin’s hair as they continued to embrace each other. Killian and Zelena shared a knowing glance, their smiles bright and proud. Zelena was overjoyed that her daughter had finally been able to make a friend in the small town, while Killian was just happy to see his little Starfish settling into their new life.

 

“Wait until you see the fort I built with my Dad last night!” The brunette pulled away quickly and latched onto Alice’s hand, dragging her up the creaky staircase as the blonde waved goodbye to her Papa.

 

“Robin has been looking forward to this little playdate all week,” Zelena admitted as she invited Killian into her home, both smiling amusingly as the soft giggles reached their ears. “She’s been counting down the days on her calendar and everything.” The redhead added as they moved to sit in the messy living room, stepping over Robin’s abandoned toys as they walked.

 

“Aye, my Alice has been the same.” Killian nodded gently as he sat, “Quite the attachment they’ve got already. I dare to think what it will be like in a few years time.” He chuckled, letting out a small sigh as he did so. His little girl was already growing up too quickly for his liking.

 

“Well, I imagine we’ll be having a lot more conversations on my sofa while they raise havoc upstairs.” The redhead reached out to squeeze the man’s shoulder comfortingly. “I don’t see those girls parting ways anytime soon, and I’m thankful for that.” She admitted shyly as a soft smile took over her pale face. “Robin hasn’t had the best of luck in the friendship department…if I’m being honest, this is actually her first playdate.”

 

“Can I be honest for a second?” Killian asked nervously, continuing once he received a small nod from the redhead. “I was so worried about moving away, Alice was so comfortable where she was and I thought that she’d be at that age where making friends would be difficult. But when I saw her running about with your Robin, I was so relieved and happy that she was able to find someone so easily.”

 

“It’s almost like they were meant to be friends,” Zelena shook her head as the playful screams drifted down the stairs, followed by the stomping and jumping of little feet. “Let’s just hope that the roof stays in tack with them two up there.”

 

“Quite the imagination they seem to have.” The Deputy quickly agreed as their own laughter filled the small living room. “I should probably head, or Emma will have my head.”

 

“If that Sister-in-law of mine gives you a hard time, just remind her of a little thing I like to call the stockroom incident.” The redhead smirked mischievously, knowing the right buttons to push to get on Emma’s nerves.

 

“Do I even want to know?” Killian asked nervously as Zelena walked him to the door, giggling the entire way.

 

“Not if you want to be able to look her in the eye again, but muttering those words will definitely work in your favour.” She winked playfully as Killian shot her a worrisome smirk. While Zelena may not know that much about the scruffy man, she could already tell that they were going to be a force to reckoned with in the years to come.

 

Meanwhile upstairs, Robin and Alice were engaged in the biggest battle the Kingdom had ever seen. Hundreds of trolls and goblins were in the midst of storming the castle, but Knight Robin was on the case and slayed the horrid creatures left, right and centre. With a loud thud, Robin was knocked down and the creatures moved to attack with great force, she was pinned down, trapped by the multi-coloured beasts. Until suddenly Princess Alice attacked, using her magic wand to disperse the creatures who dared attack their castle.

 

“Thanks for that m’lady.” Robin bowed proudly as she was helped up off the ground. “Let’s get you to the tower before they come back.” The small brunette quickly grabbed Alice’s hand and began to drag her towards the large tower.

 

“No, I want to stay and help you, Knight Robin.” Alice pulled back, forcing them both to stop sharply.

 

“But if something happened to you, the Kingdom would fall.” The brave Knight pleaded, but Princess Alice wasn’t budging. One thing she had learned from Robin at this point was that Princesses were capable of more than she thought. She could stand and fight alongside Robin. “Your safety is what’s important right now,” Robin muttered sweetly as she cupped blondes face, trying to convince her to let her get her away to safety.

 

“Robin! Behind you!” She screamed as an ambush struck. Goblins and trolls charged blades drawn and war cries deafening. Robin jumped into attack mode and ran from the terrified blonde. Her blade swung with all her might, striking anyone in her way. She took her newly appointed job seriously and wasn’t about to be the reason that the Kingdom was left without a Princess. Brown goblin blood dripped onto the earth with each swing and lunge. As the last one fell, Robin could feel every part of her body aching and burning.

 

“Got em!” She called out victoriously, as she turned to face Alice, only to find that the Princess was nowhere to be seen. Robin’s heart dropped as she caught sight of a blood trail leading towards the throne room. In a blind panic, the Knight took off running, her head spinning. She couldn’t believe that she let this happen, she let the Princess get captured because she was showing off and trying to impress her. If anything bad happened, Robin didn’t know how she would go on. Robin’s eyes dampened as she caught sight of Alice lying peacefully in the middle of the deserted room. “Princess Alice? No, they got to you…what am I going to do?” Robin sprinted over to her side and gently cupped her cheek.

 

“Find a prince, so he can wake me with true love's kiss,” Alice whispered as she peeked one eye open, before clamping them shut once again.

 

“Oh…I promise my dear Princess Alice, I will travel through the entire Kingdom until I find a prince worthy of you,” The brunette stood forcefully as her eyes scanned the messy bedroom for some sort of solution. “Wait…I could be your Prince! I’m already a Knight, I can give you true loves kiss.” She suggested excitedly, the idea hitting her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

 

“Can two girls share true loves kiss?” Alice sat up gently, putting a pause on their game as she looked at Robin for answers.

 

“I think so.” Robin shrugged as she scratched the back of her neck nervously, afraid that her suggestion was going to scare her new friend away. “Auntie Emma and Auntie Gina kiss all the time…and they are both girls.” She added, thinking back to all the kisses she had playfully gagged at in the past.

 

“I suppose it's possible then.” The blonde smiled brightly, as they teleported back to their mystical Kingdom. “But first you’ve got to get past the DRAGON!” She screamed as the frightening fire-breathing beast let out an all mighty roar. Robin jumped into action, rolling and dodging the fire streams sent her way. As she raised her sword the fire melted it instantly, leaving the brunette defenceless against the dreaded beast. Out of the corner of her eye, Robin saw a dazzling bow just waiting to be used. With one arrow, and time running out, Robin lit the arrow and took her aim. The fire lit arrow flew through the sky, landing smack in the dragon's heart. The beast let out an ungodly growl as it fell to his knees and dispersed into the wind.

 

“That was a close one.” Robin wiped the sweat from her brow as she ran over and kneeled down beside the sleeping blonde. Gently Robin took her into her arms and brushed her fine blonde hair out of her face. “Princess Alice, fear not. I’ve come to give you true loves kiss, so you can rule this fine Kingdom once again.” She muttered quietly before Robin lowered her head slowly, her heart pounding and head reeling as her lips brushed against the blondes fair cheek. With a little more confidence, the brunette pressed down firmly, mesmerised by the softness of Alice’s skin.

 

“You did it!” Alice jumped up, gently knocking Robin back and breaking the kiss. “We shall rule together! What is a Princess without her bravest Knight?” She reached out and took Robin’s hand helping her up to her feet as they looked out at their Kingdom.

 

“Still fast asleep?” Robin joked playfully as she tried to hide the furious blush on her cheeks.

 

“You ready to rule by my side?” The blonde asked softly as their hands laced together, just as the sun was about to rise on their Kingdom and the new found peace they had brought to it.

 

“Where’s my little monster?” A deep voice cut through the Kingdom, breaking Robin free from her imaginary world.

 

“Daddy!” Robin cheered as she ran and jumped into her Dad’s outstretched arms. “You’ve got to meet my best friend!” She quickly pulled the man over to the suddenly shy blonde.

 

“Hello, I’m Robin’s Dad, Robin.” Robin Senior knelt down and held his hand out to Alice, happy to finally meet the girl that had captured his little Robin’s attention.

 

“Robin…and Robin.” Alice looked at the pair curiously as she gently shook the man’s hand. “That’s a bit confusing…maybe I should call you something different, what about RJ?” She joked with her friend, causing a slight blush to creep onto her face.

 

“Don’t even think about it,” Robin warned her as she draped her arm over her shoulders lovingly.

 

“We’ll see RJ.” The blonde bumped against her slightly, a bright toothy smile plastered on her face.

 

“How would you two like to join me for some delicious ice-cream before dinner?” Robin’s Dad asked the pair, whose eyes lit up at the thought of the cold treat.

 

“Really?” Robin asked excitedly, practically bouncing at the thought.

 

“Only if you can beat me downstairs.” He laughed deeply, a playful smirk sent his daughter's way.

 

“Get him!” The small brunette screamed at the top of her lungs as she lunged at her Dad, sending him falling backwards. “Run Alice!” She called out to her giggling friend, who quickly took off towards the door. Robin jumped after her, feeling cocky about their head start. Together they stomped downstairs, giggling and cheering the entire way down.

 

“What is going on here?” Zelena asked in shock as she met the two girls at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“Dad is bringing us for ice-cream!” Robin cheered as she and Alice ran to get their shoes from the cloakroom.

 

“Oh, is he now?” The redhead asked her winded husband as he slowly descended the stairs.

 

“Gotta celebrate our girls first playdate.” He sent her his signature crooked smile, that he knew would melt her heart instantaneously.

 

“I suppose, but I’m getting extra sprinkles.” Zelena rolled her eyes as her husband pulled her into his arms, forcing her to let out a small gasp.

 

“Of course my love.” Robin mumbled as he planted a firm kiss on her soft lips, ignoring the chorus of ‘eww’s’ and gags that came from behind.

 

The small ice-cream parlour was practically empty when the small group arrived. Alice and Robin claimed their own little table and devoured their ice-cream almost instantly.

 

“This has been the best day ever!” Alice smiled brightly as she reached over to wipe the chocolate sauce from Robin’s chin. “I’m glad that we’re best friends Robin.” She muttered shyly, as she saw Robin’s eyes lit up at the mention of their new friendship status.

 

“Me too Al, let’s promise to be best friends forever.” Robin reached her pinky finger out to the blonde, her nine-year-old self wanting a lasting promise.

 

“Forever and ever!” The blonde laced their pinkies together, sealing their friendship for the years to come.


	3. The Beginning of The End

“And we’re gonna need more of this!” Alice hummed happily as she dropped a packet of gummy bears into the trolley filled with sleepover supplies. Alice had been so excited when her Papa suggested a big sleepover before her and Robin were due to start school in a few days. Her Mother had never let her have friends in the house, let alone have a sleepover, so this was uncharted territory to both the blonde and her Papa.

 

“Alice love, we already have two packets at home.” Killian chuckled at the skipping blonde, thinking back his life before his little bundle of everything sweet was born. He wasn’t always as easy going, or nice in fact. But the moment he held Alice in his arms, he changed. His grudges subsided, his anger vanished. Killian wanted to be the Papa he never had, he wanted Alice to look up to him and to be proud to have him as a Papa.

 

“But what if we run out? This sleepover needs to be perfect!” Alice’s sing-song voice cut through his tortured thoughts, reminding him that he wasn’t failing as a Father. His little girl loved him completely, and nothing was going to change that.

 

“Aye, and it will be darling.” He promised wholeheartedly, Alice’s toothy grin warming his heart in response. “Spaghetti for dinner?”

 

“Yum! Can me and Robin help with the sauce?” The little girl bounced down the aisle of the supermarket without a care in the world, her mind filled to the brim with amazing ideas and different worlds for her and Robin to travel too.

 

“Of course sweetheart. How about some of my homemade cookies for dessert?”

 

“Umm, what about brownies instead? And ice cream!” Alice counterattacked with a cheeky smirk that she had perfected over the years.

 

“Brownies and ice cream it is then.” Killian couldn’t help but smirk back, the Jones smirk suiting them both to a tee.

 

“This is going to be the best night ev-” Alice absentmindedly ran into something solid, sending her falling to the ground with a plop. As she looked through the blonde hair covering her face, a soft smile crept onto her face when she saw her she had run into.

 

“Woah there kid,” Emma smirked before picking her up and giving her a quick twirl in the air.

 

“Sorry boss, someone’s a little over excited.” Killian quickly apologized, abandoning the trolley as Emma handed Alice over to the worried man, before shrugging off his un-needed apology.

 

“We’ve just spent the morning with an equally excited brunette,” Regina spoke up as she reclaimed her wife’s hand, before shifting her attention to the bouncing blonde. “You ready for the big sleepover?”

 

“Yep! Daddy was just getting the last of our supplies to make tonight perfect.” Alice cheered loudly, catching the attention of other shoppers as they passed.  

 

“What fun. I’m sure you and Robin will have a delightful time,” The brunette smiled down at the dancing child, wishing that she and Emma could have another one of their own soon. The three adults shared a few amusing glances while Alice was lost in her happy dance. However, the amusement was quickly wiped from Regina’s face when she caught sight of the alarming amounts of candy in the trolley. “Fair warning if you supply my niece with this much sugar she’ll have you up all night.” She smirked while picking up a bag of gummy bears to examine the back of the package.

 

“It’s their back to school sleepover babe, they should be allowed to eat as much sugar as they please.” Emma snorted as she snatched the bag out of Regina’s hands playfully and threw it back into the trolley, making a note to grab herself a bag of those. “Besides, Jones can handle two kids. Can’t ya?” The cocky Sheriff shot the Deputy a wicked wink.

 

“Better than you, that’s for sure. Last time I saw you babysit, the kids had locked themselves in the cells.” Killian stuck his tongue out like a child, enjoying the easy-going banter they had established. Emma’s face dropped as the home truths seeped in and Regina and Killian’s laughs filtered out.

 

“Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side!” Emma snapped as Regina’s laughter weaved through Killian’s chuckle.

 

“All’s fair Swan.” He shot her one last dashing smile before they parted ways.

 

***

Robin came bolting through the door the second Killian turned the handle, almost knocking the grown man off his feet. The two girls ran into each other’s arms, embracing like they hadn’t seen each other in years when in reality it had been two days since their last playdate.

 

“I have the most amazing-est day planned out for us!” Alice cheered, nearly deafening Robin as they embraced tightly, but the little brunette didn’t care. She was just so happy to be spending the whole night with her best friend.

 

“I’m so excited! I’ve been counting down the days since you invited me.” The little brunette cheered back once they finally broke free of the bone-crushing embrace.

 

“What do you say to Alice’s daddy, Robin?” Zelena coughed, reminding the young girl that her Mother was still there.

 

“Oh, yes.” Robin blushed faintly, before turning to face a smiling Killian. “Thank you for having me Alice’s daddy.”

 

“You are very welcome little lady.” Killian bowed down at both of them, before chuckling deeply. “Alice, why don’t you show Robin that fort we’ve been working on in the den.”

 

“Follow me!” The blonde chirped before skipping towards the pillow filled den, where their latest adventures were about to unfold.

 

“You sure you can handle them?” Zelena asked as they watched the two girls skip away without a care in the world.

 

“How much trouble than two girls be?” The brunette man shrugged, his own excitement for Alice’s first sleepover seeping out with every word.  

 

“Let's just say that last time they were together, I was afraid the floor of Robin’s bedroom was going to cave in.” The redhead let out a cackle before the sound of what could only be described as a stampede of elephants reached their ears. “Have fun, and don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.” Zelena patted his shoulder gently, feeling truly sorry for him and what he’d be forced to put up with all night.

 

“I won’t, but thanks for the offer anyway,” Killian smirked back without so much a sliver of worry.

 

“Bye honey!” Zelena called out over the stomping noise, but never received a reply, just as she predicted.

 

Killian was absolutely exhausted by the time dinner came to an end. Alice and Robina had run wild around the house, and being the overcompensating Dad that he was, Killian happily ran after them. They played fairy-tale land and pirates, Killian happy to take the led as the Captain of their imaginary ship, playing the part perfectly.

 

Once the dirty dishes had been the cleaned, and all the brownies had disappeared into young tummy’s, the trio settled down on the sofa with a mountain of snacks and a large selection of films to chose from. Being the guest, Robin was given the first choice. After mulling it over for a short while, the little brunette finally settled on Disney’s Robin Hood, her all-time favorite animated film.

 

“I love this part,” Robin whispered to the blonde glued to her side, while Killian’s soft snores filled the den. The two girls lay in the fort, surrounded by every pillow in the small apartment and all the candy they could eat. Alice’s sleepy eyes shifted open, curious as to what scene Robin was referring to. Robin Hood was dancing with Maid Marian, as the sweet song filled the air.

 

“Why this part? I would’ve thought that you’d been into all the action instead.” Alice yawned as they both watched in awe as the two foxes twirled around the forest.

 

“Dunno…just always wanted to try that.” The brunette whispered, her blush masked by the darkness of the room.

 

“Dancing in a forest?” The blonde fought back her laughter and began to slowly sway to the soft music.

 

“No…dancing in general,” Robin admitted with a shy smile, as she watched Alice carefully, completely mesmerized by the blonde next to her. “My daddy used to dance with me, he’d let me stand on his feet as we twirled around…he doesn’t anymore.” The brunette’s smile faded as the song drew to a close and the two foxes embraced each other. It wasn’t the dancing that Robin was solely interested in…it was that right there. She wanted to find someone like Maid Marian, someone sweet and beautiful.

 

“Maybe we could dance together.” Alice’s words could hardly be understood through her yawn, but Robin knew what she was trying to say and as Alice snuggled into the brunette, she knew that she didn’t have to go searching anymore. Who needed a Maid Marian when they had an Alice Jones.

 

“I’d like that…but maybe in the morning.” A smile could practically be heard in Robin’s words as she draped her arm around Alice and settled herself into the embrace.

 

“Good…idea…Night Robin.” Alice yawned once more before sleep finally took over.

 

“Goodnight Al,” Robin whispered before placing a small kiss on the blonde’s forehead. “And thank you for the best first sleepover ever!” She added as she closed her eyes. Today had truly been the best day of her life, and one that she’d look back on because after that night, things were never the same for Robin and they wouldn’t be for a very long time.


	4. Forest Confessions

Adjusting to her new school had been hard at first, but with Robin by her side the entire way, Alice had come to thoroughly enjoy her school days. Spending the day with her best friend was always a good thing, and the large playground provided the girls with the perfect conditions to explore their magical kingdom some more. The latest adventure had sent the two girls exploring the Wild West. Together they protected the vulnerable villages, sending bandits and thieves packing with their amazing gunslinging. Robin had followed in her aunt's footsteps, and took on the role as Sheriff, while Alice focused her attention on exploring her creative side at the local dressmakers. Their small town was a safe haven, that only they could escape too, and for a certain brunette, that safe haven was everything.

 

It was the start of a new week, and usually, that meant a new adventure for Alice and Robin. Alice had spent the entire weekend thinking up possible new adventures for them to take on, and she couldn’t wait to share her findings with Robin. They had planned to meet up over the weekend, but Robin has canceled out of the blue, leaving Alice craving some serious Robin time.

 

“So what world are you two visiting this week?” Killian asked as he smiled down at the bouncing blonde, skipping beside him with her morning doughnut in one hand and two mini apple pies for the playground swinging in a bag in the other hand.

 

“Not sure yet Papa. Me and Robin need to try and figure it out today I guess.” She replied in-between bites, as the strawberry icing and rainbow sprinkles covered her mouth. “But, between you and me, I really wanna explore the jungle!”

 

“The jungle? That sounds mighty dangerous.” He let out a small chuckle, amazed by the depths of her imagination.

 

“I got Robin with me, I don’t have nothing to worry about!” Alice answered matter-of-a-factly like this was supposed to be the most obvious thing in the world. And to Alice, it was. She knew that if she had Robin by her side, she’d never have to worry or be scared.

 

“Robin!” Alice cheered as she saw her best friend waiting for her at her usual place on the front steps of the school. “Bye Papa!” She placed a sugary kiss on Killian’s scruffy cheek before sprinting towards the brunette.

 

Alice’s eyebrows furrowed as she neared her best friend. Instead of her usual bright smile, her face was sad and a deep seeded frown was very present. She wasn’t bouncing with joy or running to meet her. She was quiet and tried, not moving from her place on the steps as Alice approached.

 

“Robin? Is everything alright?” Alice asked with caution, she didn’t know how to deal with this Robin or what would happen if she tried.

 

“I’m fine. Why wouldn't I be?” Robin answered, a little too quickly for Alice’s liking. It was obvious now that the brunette was hiding something, but Alice couldn't even begin to question what. “Just didn’t get much sleep tis’all.” She fake yawned. From the bags under Robin’s eyes, Alice knew that lack of sleep could be the case, but her eyes held more than that. Redness, faint, but still present. Robin had been crying. Robin never cried. She was the brave one, she held Alice’s hand when she got scared on the first day of school, and when Alice fell in the playground Robin made sure everything was alright. Robin was the brave White Knight, and seeing her like this worried Alice.

 

“Have you been crying?” The blonde asked with a confused look on her face, causing anger to raise up in Robin.

 

“Not everyone is a crybaby like you!” She screamed before storming off into the school, hating the unwanted attention she had brought to herself as she power-walked through the crowded hallway.

 

Robin hated herself for blowing up like that on Alice. None of this was her fault, she was only trying to be nice, to be a good friend. And she had been right. The majority of the weekend was spent with tears flowing down her face, as she listened in on the constant fighting and screaming. It wasn't the first time her parents had fought, but it was definitely the worst fight of them all. She wanted to talk to someone, anyone and Alice had been the perfect person. But she saw the look on her face when she mentioned the crying. Robin Locksley wasn’t someone who cried, so she decided to bottle it all up again. She didn’t have time to be upset, not when she had hurt her best friend’s feelings.

 

Class dragged in. Robin spent most of it staring at the back of Alice’s head, hoping that the blonde would turn to face her, but she didn’t. And when lunchtime finally came, the blonde was the first one out of the door, leaving Robin behind without so much as a second glance. The brunette wished she could take it back, wished that she could have just talked to the blonde instead of blowing up on her like she did. But it was too late. She was probably going to lose her family and now her best friend. And to make things worse, Robin knew that there was nothing she could do to stop it.

 

Lunchtime was coming to an end, and Robin had spent every second of it alone. She had been used to it before Alice moved to town, but now it hurt. It felt like there was something missing, _something_ that could make everything all better. But she knew that, that _something_ was probably off making friends with normal kids, who wouldn’t freak out over a simple question. Robin was about to pack up her things and head into class early, when much to her surprise, Alice came bouncing over to her carrying a Granny’s Diner take-away bag.

 

“Sorry, I’m late.” Alice smiled and took her usual seat, acting as she always did and like nothing had happened. “I was waiting for my Papa to drop me off these.” She added as she pulled out half a dozen peanut butter cookies - Robin’s all-time favorite snack - and placed them on the picnic table.

 

“Why are you being nice to me? I called you a crybaby.” Robin frowned as Alice handed her the largest cookie from the bunch.

 

“You were upset and I pushed instead of waiting until you were ready to talk.” The blonde explained as she nibbled on the sugary treat. She had a quite a limited treat allowance each week, and she knew that she had gone way over it in one day, but it was worth it just to see the smile on Robin’s face when she bit into the snack.

 

“I...I don’t deserve a friend like you Al.” Robin’s eyes watered slightly, and she quickly tried to hide them from Alice, but the blonde stopped her. Gently, she cupped Robin’s face and wiped away the falling tears with her thumb, just like her Papa always does when she is upset or hurt.

 

“Stop talking like that Robin. You’re the best-est friend I’ve ever had, and I hate to see you this upset.” Alice smiled shyly as she let her hand fall from Robin’s face and gently rest extremely close to the brunette's trembling fingers.

 

“You the only friend I’ve ever had...except for Neal I guess.” The brunette shrugged while wiping her nose on the back of sleeve before taking a large bite of her cookie, “I’m sorry I blew up on you earlier.” She muttered, not great with apologies.

 

“It’s okay...and I’m sorry for pushing.” Alice giggled, trying to lighten the heavy mood that had fallen over them. “Just promise me that you’ll talk to me when you’re ready.”

 

“I promise.” Robin turned to face the grinning blonde. She would often glance at Alice and wonder how she ended up with such an amazing friend, now more than ever. “Let’s go exploring for a bit after school. We can finish these off then.” She suggested, already knowing the perfect place to take Alice.

 

“Sounds perfect!”

 

***

Alice and Robin ran as fast are their legs could carry them. Ducking under low hanging vines, jumping fallen tree trunks and praying that they could escape. They had really messed things up this time, but how could Robin have resisted the grand jewel of the jungle? It was just so shiny. And now the monkeys were after them, and the two girls feared that they wouldn’t make it out this time.

 

“And then the monkey’s come swinging down on the vines and they...Robin?” Alice stopped once she noticed that her brunette friend was no longer chasing her around the small wooded area. Instead, she was slumped against a giant oak tree, tracing her fingers over small engravings in the trunk, that faintly resembled two R’s and a Z.

 

“Sorry, kinda zoned out for a second,” Robin muttered as she shook herself out of the funk that had returned. She tried to keep her mind from wandering back to her parent's possible relationship breakdown, but she couldn’t help it. She wished that she just knew what was going on, at least then she wouldn’t have to play guessing games with the worse possible outcomes.

 

“Wanna sit for a bit and nibble on some sugary goodness?” The blonde smiled sweetly, already brightening up Robin’s mood.

 

“I guess.” She shrugged as she pushed off the tree and followed the blonde to the small blanket they had laid out. In silence, they shared out the remainder of the cookies and relished in the soft sounds of the forest. Robin used to love this part of the forest, especially when she was younger. Every other weekend, her parents used to take her camping in the woods. They’d run around the forest, make a campfire, eat s’mores and just be together. Nowadays they hardly ever eat dinner together, let alone go camping. Robin hated having to keep it all in, she needed to let it out and the smiling blonde next to her was the perfect person for her to talk too. “Hey, Al?”

 

“Yeah?” She muttered back as she finished off her last cookie.

 

“I…” Robin choked on her emotions, causing Alice to reach out and take the brunette’s hand gently. “I think my Mom and Dad are breaking up…”

 

“Is that what you’ve been upset about?” Alice asked softly, treading carefully around the subject, afraid that if she pressed too much the brunette would shut down once again.

 

“They’ve been fighting all weekend, I’m worried that this might be the end.” She continued, the tears she’d been holding in raising to the surface.

 

“I’m sorry Robin.” The blonde quickly wrapped her arms around the weeping blonde, pulling as close as humanly possible.

 

“I don’t want them to break-up.” She muttered into Alice’s damp shoulder, a strong feeling of relief surrounding her. It felt good to finally be able to get everything off her chest, and being able to take comfort in Alice’s arms was the best feeling Robin has ever felt.

 

“I know...but sometimes it’s for the best.” Alice cooed as she rubbed small circles on the weeping brunette’s back. She had been in Robin’s shoes before, only instead of weeping, Alice had been overjoyed that she was finally free.

 

“How could you say that!” Robin suddenly pushed herself out of Alice’s comforting arms and scampered to stand. Her cheeks were red and raw from the intense crying, but her face held no sadness, only anger. How could Alice think that her parents breaking up was a good thing?!

 

“Because my parents split up.” The blonde answered calmly, expecting this kind of reaction from the brunette. It was clear that Robin wasn’t used to showing her emotions, and Alice wished that she felt comfortable enough to fully be herself around her.

 

“Oh...I thought that...well I don’t know what I thought I guess.” Robin frowned as she chose her next words carefully, she had assumed that Alice’s Mother had died because the blonde never talked about her. “Why did they split up?”

 

“My Mother wasn’t the nicest of people...she never really loved me, or my Papa.” Alice looked down at the ground and kicked the fallen leaves slightly. She had never talked about her Mother before, not since the divorce. But she wanted Robin to know, she trusted Robin to protect her and the details of her past. “She never let me have any friends over, or bake, or build forts.”

 

“She sounds awful.” The brunette whispered and motioned for them both to reclaim their seats before gently resting her hand on Alice’s knee.

 

“Beyond awful…she was horrid to me...especially when my Papa was out.” Soft tears ran down Alice’s face, as the unpleasant memories came rushing back. “When they told me they were splitting up, I was so happy. And so was my Papa. We were both so miserable, and now look at us!” She quickly moved on, not wanting to dwell on the horrific details of her childhood.

 

“I’m glad you aren’t with her...she doesn’t deserve someone as amazing as you.” Robin wrapped her arm around the sobbing girl and placed a small kiss into her hairline, just like her Mother would do for her when she was feeling sad.

 

“I agree...I really am sorry that your parents are fighting.” Alice relaxed into the embrace, feeling at home in the arms of her best friend.

 

“I wish that I could just stay out here until it stops. Just me, and you and peanut butter cookies.”  Robin whispered as the two grew sleepy and lay back on the small blanket, not breaking the much-needed contact as they moved to get comfortable.

 

“Maybe not forever, but at least for a little while longer, and who knows...maybe we’re completely wrong about them and in a weeks time they’ll be back to normal.” The blonde yawned and snuggled into Robin’s neck, brushing her cold nose again the brunette’s hot skin.

 

“I hope so...thanks for telling me about your Mom,” Robin replied while running her hand through soft blonde locks. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been to talk about it.”

 

“It was...but I had my White Knight by my side, so it wasn’t too bad.” Alice turned slightly and placed a small kiss just below Robin’s mouth, before snuggling in close. The smile on Robin’s face was the brightest it had ever bee. And she didn’t know why but laying in the middle of the forest with Alice in her arms, it just felt right. Like nothing else going on in the world mattered. And just for a short while, all the hurt and fear vanished and all that was left was peanut butter cookie crumbs and two best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! As some of you may have noticed I haven’t been posting or writing as much lately. This is because I am back at university, and living away from home. I’m not usually one to ask for help, but I’m really struggling with money at the moment and due to that I haven’t been able to fully focus my attention on writing. I love all the writing that I do, and I love hearing back from all of you even more. If any of you could please help me out, I’d be so thankful. Also, anyone who donates will receive either early access to a chapter of one of my fics or a prompt of their choosing! If you can, please help me out, I am drowning in anxiety over money and I really will be so grateful! Love all of my readers!! 
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